The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) is a medical research institute owned by the Uganda government that carries out research on communicable diseases in man and animals, with emphasis on viral transmitted infections. UVRI is a component of Uganda National Health Research Organization (UNHRO), an umbrella organization for health research within Uganda.
Global biomedical and health research is increasingly relying on genomic and computational approaches, largely driven by the increasing volumes of nucleic acid sequencing. Concurrently, epidemiological studies and clinical records are generating enormous amounts of data amenable to disease modeling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence techniques. Bioinformatics and data science expertise is therefore essential for improved population health. Accordingly, in 2012, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) in partnership with the Wellcome Trust, and with support from the African Society for Human Genetics, initiated the H3Africa (Human Heredity and Health in Africa) consortium. One of its key goals was to build capacity among African scientists to lead research on genetic and environmental contributors to health and disease across the continent. In 2017, the NIH provided funding to support the establishment of four graduate bioinformatics training programs across five African universities. Over seven years, these programs enrolled multiple trainees (n > 270), with >110 earning Master's degrees and >20 completing PhDs in Bioinformatics. It is thus timely to evaluate the outcomes and impact of these programs, particularly regarding graduation rates, career trajectories, and the institutions and research domains their alumni are serving. We also assess employment outcomes and the nature of the research they are enabling (n > 110 peer-reviewed articles). We additionally include the progress and outputs of the programs' instructors, which were partially enabled by program resources, networks, and trainees. Overall, this review paints valuable insights into the pioneering role of NIH extramural support in shaping Africa's biomedical research landscape.
Uganda faced its sixth reported Ebola outbreak between September 2022 and January 2023, the fifth to be recorded as Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) in the country. In response to this, the Ugandan Ministry of Health (MoH), rapidly deployed a mobile laboratory from the National Health Laboratory and Diagnostics Services (NHLDS) within one week of the declared outbreak. Here we describe the deployment of the mobile laboratory to Mubende, the outbreak epicentre, as part of the national response. This provided (1) efficient diagnostics and characterization of Sudan virus cases to support national data reporting (2), greater insight into Sudan virus kinetics, including viral clearance and risk factor analysis and (3) evaluation of the integration of the mobile laboratory into the national outbreak response. The mobile laboratory was deployed to the Mubende Regional Referral Hospital and positioned next to the established Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU). The laboratory was deployed for 177 days, in continuous operation by a team of 18 trained personnel. Molecular testing, using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out on all samples received in the laboratory for both Sudan virus diagnosis and differential diagnosis for other viral haemorrhagic fever (VHFs). All results from the mobile laboratory were fed directly into the national database, to enable a coordinated response to the outbreak and analysis of the outbreak data on a national level. Nationwide, there were 142 confirmed cases, 55 deaths and 22 probable cases reported in the outbreak. During the mobile laboratory deployment, 3282 samples were tested and 72 SVD cases confirmed by RT-PCR, with an average turn-around-time (TAT) of 6 h. In addition to molecular diagnostic confirmation of suspect cases, the mobile laboratory functioned to support follow-up surveillance of Sudan virus survivors (4 breast feeding mothers and 22 males). Sudan virus RNA was found in the breast milk a median of 135 days after initial test positivity and in the semen of male survivors median 176 days later. We observed the highest risk for contracting the disease in health care workers and a significant correlation between patient viral load at initial diagnosis and patient outcome. Differential diagnosis of other VHFs in the mobile laboratory and at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) identified 6 Rift Valley fever (RVF) and 7 Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) cases co-circulating in the current SVD outbreak. Having the mobile laboratory stationed next to the ETU at the epicentre of the outbreak, markedly reduced diagnostic turn-around-time (TAT) and improved interoperability between the laboratory and the ETU, supporting containment and treatment. Furthermore, integration of the mobile laboratory into existing national outbreak systems, ensured rapid data provision for daily decision making by the national task force. The data from this study contributes to a greater understanding of Sudan virus. Not applicable.
Laboratories can play a critical role in the conduct of clinical trials. Management of different aspects of the clinical laboratory processes is essential and can determine the success of a trial. Activities within the laboratory process encompassing pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes ought to be thoroughly monitored. In this paper, we present an outline of approaches for sample collection, sample transport, sample storage, sample analysis, and data management, in a laboratory setting. The paper highlights that clinical trials are more likely to be completed successfully if there is rigorous adherence to organized quality management approaches in the laboratory. We also discuss the challenges encountered that include sample quality issues, equipment downtime, absence of reference ranges generated from the local population among others, and approaches implemented to overcome these. If implemented, the approaches described here are expected to improve the quality and integrity of the data produced in laboratories which in turn will contribute to successful clinical trial conduct.
Since the turn of the century, long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) have played a major role in malaria control. However, the effectiveness of these tools is declining due to the development of insecticide resistance and other factors, creating an urgent need for complementary strategies. Larval source management (LSM), through the application of biological larvicides or the autodissemination of larvicides by ovipositing female mosquitoes, offers alternative avenues to target malaria vectors. Predicting the effectiveness of such approaches requires a detailed understanding of oviposition site selection behaviour in female Anopheles gambiae sensu lato. This study investigated the oviposition strategy of female Anopheles arabiensis in relation to aquatic habitat size under semi-field conditions in south-central Tanzania. An array of twelve alternating small (30 cm diameter, 20 L capacity) and large (60 cm diameter, 40 L capacity) artificial larval habitats was established in two compartments of a semi-field system. In quadruplicated experiments, forty wild gravid An. arabiensis females were released into each compartment and allowed to oviposit in their preferred habitats. The resulting third-instar larvae were collected, counted and preserved in ethanol. Larvae from one replicate were subjected to DNA extraction and microsatellite genotyping. Sibship analysis using Bayesian-likelihood methods (COLONY software) was conducted to reconstruct individual female oviposition behaviour. Rather than distributing eggs in proportion to habitat size, An. arabiensis females significantly preferred smaller habitats. Sibship analysis showed that 49.2
BackgroundAcute respiratory infections (ARI) caused by viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) posed significant public health challenges, particularly in low-income countries. Understanding the co-circulation dynamics of these pathogens is crucial for effective public health monitoring, surveillance, and control interventions. This study aimed to characterize the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV co-circulation among patients with ARI in Uganda's central business districts.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted among 1,265 adult outpatients aged 18 years and older presenting with ARI in Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono districts. Data were collected for the period from March 2023 through April 2024. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected and tested for SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and RSV using RT-PCR. Data on demographics, clinical presentation, and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status were analyzed using descriptive statistics and time series analysis.ResultsRSV was the most prevalent pathogen (5.5%), followed by SARS-CoV-2 (5.1%), Influenza A (4.4%), and Influenza B (1.7%). Individuals aged 45 and older were more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2. There was a significant difference in pathogen presence by occupation (p = 0.03), with health workers showing the highest prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, while prevalence did not differ significantly by sex. Seasonal trends showed bimodal peaks for SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, and RSV, with the highest frequency observed between April 2023 to June 2023 and November 2023 to February 2024. However, Influenza B exhibited a single prolonged peak. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was associated with a higher prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (8.7% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.023) but not with influenza or RSV prevalence.ConclusionThe co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV highlights Uganda's ongoing respiratory virus burden. Seasonal patterns and recurrent outbreaks underscore the need for sustained surveillance, targeted vaccination, and public health interventions to mitigate the impact of these pathogens, particularly in vulnerable populations.
